Initiative addresses critical gap in the UK’s job market and set to boost the national economy

London, 4th December 2017 – Multi-award winning social enterprise Code First: Girls announces today the launch of its 2020 campaign, to teach 20,000 young women how to code for free by the end of 2020. Code First: Girls is working with campaign partners and backers from some of the world’s leading employers including KKR and OVH to train young women at the start of their careers from across the UK and Ireland how to code. The programme will offer training support to employees from the partner companies, with the opportunity to train their young female staff as well as gift free coding courses on the partner's behalf to young women at other charitable institutions. In addition to the training, Code First: Girls is building a community platform to support the course alumnae which will enable the 20,000 young women to learn from and support each other; as well as permit the campaigns’ top tier partners access to a pool of 20,000 young women who have completed the coding course and are wanting to explore career opportunities in tech and digital.

To achieve this goal, and on top of the funds raised from key partners, Code First: Girls is opening a £25000 crowd funding campaign. Starting today, any members of the public with a passion for the cause take part in the project, by making a financial pledge to support the campaign, or even gift a course to a young women.

Women are currently underrepresented in the U.K. technology sector and their share in the sector has fallen from 33% in 2002 to 27% today. According to the UK Office of National Statistics in 2017, looking at tech and telco professionals in the U.K., only 3.9% were female programmers and software developers, a number that has gone down from 10% in 2007. And that looks to continue to be a challenge in the coming years. With only 3,775 women registered by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service to take a consumer science degree in 2016 and the overall tech talent pipeline potentially further stressed under Brexit, Code First: Girls 2020 hopes to encourage career age women to pursue careers in tech.

Amali de Alwis, CEO of Code First: Girls, said: “ We’re truly delighted to launch our 20K by 2020 programme. The initiative addresses a critical qualifications gap in the job market and has the potential to rapidly improve the UK economy in a significant way. In the UK, between 2011 and 2015, the number of digital tech jobs across the UK grew by 17%. That is more than twice the 8% growth seen in non-digital sectors. And with digital jobs paying 44% more than the national average, and 50% of the UK’s digital tech community highlighting a shortage of highly skilled employees, the need for tech and digital talent is massively exceeding the pool of qualified individuals entering the workforce. We think the first place to start addressing this gap is by training more young women to code.”

“Our research shows that one of the biggest barriers to women entering the tech industry is education, and our 20:20 campaign is designed to address this by providing skills that are critical to the digital economy,” she added. “Our campaign partners and the individuals who are supporting us via the crowdfund are not only helping us to bring some incredible young women into the tech and digital workforce, but also helps us to support growth to UK businesses with their talent needs through increasingly challenging times.”

Campaign partner KKR, said: “KKR is a major tech investor both in the U.K. and around the world, so we know firsthand how important technology is to the future success and prosperity of the U.K. and Europe,” said Jean-Pierre Saad, Director in KKR’s TMT team in London. “More generally, coding is becoming an increasingly important skill that should be available equally to all, regardless of gender. We are hence delighted to partner with a pioneering organisation like Code First: Girls and support them in tackling gender diversity in tech which we believe will drive better outcomes for businesses and our communities.”

When asked about why she wished to support the campaign, President of Tech UK Jacqueline De Rojas said: “Women are significantly underrepresented in the tech industry and we just can’t allow this situation to remain if we want build a diverse and innovative sector that can underpin our future economy. The Code First: Girls 2020 campaign is a vital ingredient in enabling the younger generation to feel empowered to choose from the hugely varied careers available in tech. Whenever I walk into a room where I can see girls coding to create and imagine new applications, I am truly inspired to keep working for a future powered by these exciting, bright minds.”

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Notes to editor:

About Code First: GirlsCode First: Girls, is a multi-award winning social enterprise which works with companies and women to increase the proportions of women in tech. They do this by running free coding courses for young women, paid courses for men and women, by advising companies on tech talent, and by running a community of 6000+ women who are interested in tech.They are the largest provider of free in person coding courses for women in the U.K. Over the past 3 years they’ve delivered £2.5 million+ worth of free tech education, taught 5000+ women how to code for free, and have helped companies to recruit and train better tech talent in their firms.

A press pack containing images and case studies of course alumnae and quotes from campaign ambassadors is available on request.

LONDON-- KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced a partnership with Code First: Girls, a multi award-winning U.K.-based social enterprise focused on diversity and skills in the technology sector. Launching in December 2017, KKR will support Code First: Girls' 20:20 campaign which aims to train 20,000 women to code for free by the end of 2020.

The firm will provide a significant yearly financial commitment throughout the course of the campaign, in addition to leveraging its global resources, network and portfolio of companies to provide operational and logistical support for the program's roll-out of community courses. Additionally, select female KKR employees, portfolio company employees or strategic partners will be able to participate annually in Code First: Girls' community coding courses. This partnership will bring the program to life within KKR and help develop critical tech skills for women in the firm's network.

Women are currently underrepresented in the U.K. technology sector. In 2017, looking at tech and telco professionals in the U.K., only 3.9% were female programmers and software developers, a number that has gone down from 10% in 2007. Code First: Girls is working to redress the imbalance by helping women develop the coding and leadership skills they need to fill these roles and increase their representation in tech and entrepreneurship, for their benefit and also for the benefit of the U.K. digital economy. The 20:20 campaign builds on Code First: Girls' achievements in teaching over 5,000 women to code in the last three years, drawing on that success and significantly expanding its scope.

"KKR is a major tech investor both in the U.K. and around the world, so we know firsthand how important technology is to the future success and prosperity of the U.K. and Europe," said Jean-Pierre Saad, Director in KKR's TMT team in London. "More generally, coding is becoming an increasingly important skill that should be available equally to all, regardless of gender. We are hence delighted to partner with a pioneering organisation like Code First: Girls and support them in tackling gender diversity in tech which we believe will drive better outcomes for businesses and our communities."

Amali de Alwis, CEO of Code First: Girls, said: "One of the biggest barriers to women entering the tech industry is education, and our 20:20 campaign is designed to address this by providing skills that are critical to the digital economy. Our partnership with a leading investment firm like KKR, which has such a deep and wide network with companies in the U.K. and worldwide, is a fantastic opportunity for our organisation. Their support is key to us delivering our 20:20 campaign."

The partnership with Code First: Girls is the latest initiative born out of KKR's citizenship efforts as part of the firm's continued focus on Inclusion and Diversity, which began with KKR's Inclusion and Diversity Council (IDC) founded in 2014 to help realise a goal of creating a more diverse workplace.

In London, KKR has been a long-standing partner with Impetus - PEF, an organisation which provides funding, operational expertise and management support to charities and social enterprises working with disadvantaged young people. In the U.S., KKR is a proud partner of SEO, the TEAK Fellowship, and Girls Who Code, a similar initiative to Code First: Girls that is working to increase the representation of women in technology.

About KKRKKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit and, through its strategic manager partnerships, hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside its partners' capital and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. L.P.(NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About Code First: GirlsCode First: Girls, is a multi-award winning social enterprise which works with companies and women to increase the proportions of women in tech. They do this by running free coding courses for young women, paid courses for men and women, by advising companies on tech talent, and by running a community of 6000+ women who are interested in tech.They are the largest provider of free in person coding courses for women in the U.K. Over the past 3 years they've delivered £2.5 million+ worth of free tech education, taught 5000+ women how to code for free, and have helped companies to recruit and train better tech talent in their firms. www.codefirstgirls.org.uk, @CodeFirstGirls

Code First: Girls is delighted to announce the publication of their 2017 “Ones to Watch” list. Now in its third year, this list profiles 25 of the most ambitious and exciting young women under 30 years old, who are making an impact in technology and entrepreneurship. The women chosen work across a wide variety of areas, including as entrepreneurs, working in a high-growth tech startups, or in technical development and tech ecosystem roles. They were selected on the basis of their impressive and wide reaching impact in their sector, demonstrating the high calibre of female tech talent in the UK.

The purpose of the Code First: Girls “Ones to Watch” list to celebrate these young women's careers, and also profile them as inspirational role models to encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

The Code First: Girls “Ones to Watch” 2017 list includes the following 25 women:

“We are absolutely delighted to announce the 2017 Code First: Girls “Ones to Watch” list. We received some fantastic nominations and were impressed by the calibre of nominees. These women represent the amazing homegrown tech talent in the UK. Watch out for these future leaders!” ​The new 2017 “Ones to Watch” list will be published on Code First: Girls website on 04.04.17 here:http://www.codefirstgirls.org.uk/ones-to-watch-2017.html

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About Code First: Girls

Code First: Girls is a social enterprise that works with companies and women directly to increase the proportion of women in tech and entrepreneurship.

Each year we run classes that teach 3500+ women how to code, for free. Over the past 4 years we've delivered £2.5 million+ of free coding courses, and helped companies to recruit better tech talent into their firms.

Code First: Girls aims to encourage more women into tech and entrepreneurship

Thursday, 13 October 2016 - Code First: Girls, an initiative aimed at encouraging more women to take up roles in technology and entrepreneurship, is hosting its inaugural event, ‘Hack Your Career’, in Dublin today in partnership with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and their Women in Technology and Operations (WIT&O) advocacy network.

According to the Central Statistics Office, less than 25% of STEM jobs are filled by women in Ireland. Code First: Girls is trying to change this by focusing on developing women’s technical skills in coding and IT, and connecting young professional women to a community of other talented and like-minded women who can support their professional development. In bringing Code First: Girls to Dublin, students are given the opportunity to hear some of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s tech employees share first-hand experience and advice on how to succeed in the sector.

Code First: Girls has a number of similar initiatives lined up in Ireland over the coming months including a coding course for girls not directly enrolled in tech-related courses, hosted and supported by Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). As part of the partnership with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, two of the course tutors will be bank employees.

Speaking at today’s event, Peter Keegan, country executive for Ireland at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said: “We are delighted to support such a worthwhile social enterprise as it launches in Dublin. The bank’s Women in Technology & Operations mission is to attract, develop and retain female talent in technology, and partnering with Code First: Girls gives us the opportunity to show our commitment to furthering women’s careers in this space. We wish Code First: Girls the very best in their endeavours in Dublin and look forward to supporting them at this, and at upcoming events.”

Dr Charlotte Fereday, Community Programmes Manager, Code First: Girls said: “Code First: Girls have been working with Bank of America Merrill Lynch for three years and they have been amazing supporters. They are continuing to help us achieve our mission of getting more women into technology and entrepreneurship. With the bank’s support we have taught over 2.5 thousand women to code for free. Our alumni have gone on to become software developers, digital strategists and do other digital roles at a host of companies across the world. Bank of America Merrill Lynch has generously hosted a number of Hack Your Career events at their London and Chester offices, and we’re really excited to now be hosted at their Dublin office. We also now have bank staff teaching on our Dublin community coding course as volunteer instructors as well as speaking at the event. This will help us to inspire more women to consider technology as a career option, and develop the skills they need to be successful. We’re delighted to continue working with them in such a positive and impactful way.”

Code First: Girls is a social enterprise that has delivered over £1.5 million of free education over the past three years, and taught over 2500 women how to code for free. Additionally over the past 18 months, they have had over 3,000 women participate in one of their courses or events, and have supported companies to recruit better tech talent into their firms.

At Bank of America Merrill Lynch, our focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors is critical to fulfilling our purpose of helping make people’s financial lives better. Our commitment to growing our business responsibly is embedded in every aspect of our company. It is demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with not-for-profits and advocate groups, such as community and environmental organisations, in order to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about, and connect with us on Twitter @BofAML.

Code First: Girls is delighted to announce it has been nominated for the ‘Community Organisation Award for Gender’ award at the National Diversity Awards 2016!

The Best of British Diversity will travel to Liverpool’s breathtaking Anglican Cathedral on September 16th 2016 to celebrate the outstanding achievements of those who have demonstrated their devotion to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in today’s society.

Over 20,000 nominations and votes were received this year, paying tribute to grass root communities nationwide. The prestigious black tie event is definitely one to mark down on your calendar and provides recognition for excellence regardless of race, faith, religion, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and culture.

Designed to highlight the country's most inspirational and selfless people, the NDA's are supported by the likes of Stephen Fry, Adam Hills and Sir Lenny Henry amongst many.

In addition, Microsoft will be just one of the brands supporting a skyfall of diversity talent alongside Adidas, Direct Line Group, ThoughtWorks, Financial Ombudsman Service, Kier, MI5, MI6, GCHQ, PwC, Transport for London, ITV and The Open University.

A spokesperson for Adidas commented “Our objective is to have a workforce that is as diverse in it’s make up as our consumers in the market place. Showing commitment, providing support, being real and partnering with authentic organizations like National Diversity Awards will stand us in good stead to achieve this.”

British Diver & Television Presenter Tom Daley also applauded the awards stating, “The National Diversity Awards is a celebration of the fantastic work within Diversity, Equality & Inclusion by all positive role models and community organisations. Everybody who has been nominated and shortlisted is striving towards making society better for everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, faith, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. This is importantbecause you are having a positive impact to people’s lives. I would like to wish all the shortlisted nominees the very best of luck at this year’s National Diversity Awards.” He added.

Paul Sesay, Founder of The National Diversity Awards & The BEAM Awards said “The quality of nominations exceeds my expectations every year. This year was no exception with a host of inspirational role models and community organisations nominated across the country. Those shortlisted should be extremely proud, you truly are all winners and I wish each and every one of you the very best of luck.”

Code First: Girls is a social enterprise that works with companies and women directly to increase the proportion of women in tech and entrepreneurship. ​Each year we run free classes that teach 1500+ young women how to code, and have delivered £1.5million of free education in the last three years. Over the past 18 months we have had 3000+ young women participate in one of our courses or events, and have helped companies to recruit and train better tech talent in their firms.

Code First: Girls is sponsored by companies including Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Entrepreneur First (EF).

Code First: Girls is delighted to announce the publication of their 2016 “Ones to Watch” list. Now in its second year, this list profiles 25 of the most ambitious and exciting young women under 25 years old, who are making an impact in technology and entrepreneurship.

The women chosen work across a wide variety of areas, including as entrepreneurs, working in a high-growth tech startups, or in technical development and ecosystem roles. They were selected on the basis of their impressive and wide reaching impact in their sector, demonstrating the high calibre of female tech talent in the UK.

The purpose of the Code First: Girls “Ones to Watch” list to celebrate these young women's careers, and also profile them as inspirational role models to encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

The Code First: Girls “Ones to Watch” 2016 list includes the following 25 women:

“We are absolutely delighted to announce the 2016 Code First: Girls “Ones to Watch” list. We have searched tirelessly to find young women who we feel embody the amazing home grown talent in the UK. Watch out for these amazing women - they’re going to be the movers and shakers of tomorrow!”

The new 2016 “Ones to Watch” list will be published on Code First: Girls website on 01.04.16 here.

ENDS

About Code First: Girls

Code First: Girls is a social enterprise that works with companies and women directly to increase the proportion of women in tech and entrepreneurship. Each semester we run free classes that teach 700+ young women how to code. Over the past 18 months we have had 3000+ young women participate in one of our courses or events, and have helped companies to recruit and train better tech talent in their firms. Code First: Girls is sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Entrepreneur First (EF).

"this is an incredibly exciting time for us at Code First: Girls, and what a great way to celebrate our two year anniversary by launching such powerful ways to work with companies and professionals.

This is a real step forward for us as a company. We've never been afraid to tackle the challenges around digital literacy and tech diversity head on, and through these new activities we're saying to companies that we're here to partner with them to tackle those challenges and grow their businesses too."

To deliver their talent support services, Code First: Girls have partnered with HR and talent specialist Jeanne Le Roux, and are delivering workshops for companies as well as for events such as London Tech week in collaboration with global talent company Monster.

The new professional women coding courses will be starting in November 2015.

ENDS

About Code First: Girls

Code First: Girls is a social enterprise that works with companies and young women to increase the proportion of women in tech and entrepreneurship.

Each semester we run free classes that teach 450+ young women how to code. Over the past 18 months we have had 1500+ young women participate in one of our courses or events, and have helped companies to recruit and train better tech talent in their firms.

Code First: Girls is sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Entrepreneur First (EF).

London, Wednesday 8th April 2015 - Amali de Alwis has joined Code First: Girls in the newly created independent position of chief executive officer, and as a member of the board of directors effective immediately.

Amali joins Code First: Girls from PwC where she worked extensively with the senior leaders and thought leadership teams as part of the PwC Trust and PwC Global CEO programmes, and through her secondment to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. She has also worked on a pro-bono basis over recent years as a small business advisor and mentor to senior and emerging leaders through programmes such as the Commonwealth CSC Leaders programme.

“Amali joining as CEO of Code First: Girls marks an exciting time for the organisation. Over the next couple of years, we will be expanding our programme of practical coding courses to even more universities and further developing our education programme around careers in technology. We are inundated with demand and I look forward to working with Amali and the Code First: Girls team create a new generation of technical women.” Alice Bentinck, co-founder Code First: Girls.

Amali succeeds original co-founders of the joint companies Entrepreneur First (EF) and Code First: Girls, Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford, as part of the recent transition of Code First: Girls to an independent CIC social enterprise.

Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford will support the transition in an advisory role, and remain as board members going forward.

ENDS

About Code First: Girls

Code First: Girls is a social enterprise that teaches coding for free to university level young women and encourages them to consider careers in tech and entrepreneurship through a variety of events and professional development programmes. Code First: Girls currently runs 19 courses across the UK, and has helped over 1000 women learn to programme and develop their professional skills in the past year.

Code First: Girls is sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Entrepreneur First (EF).